Dhaka, December 27: Sheikh Russell, the defending champions started their Bangladesh Premier League campaign with a 4-0 win over Uttar Baridhara Club at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Friday. 

Forward Mithun Chowdhury slammed the first hat-trick of this years league. 

In the 33rd minute Russell’s Uruguyan midfielder  Francisco Usucar took a  free kick, , and Mithun tapped the ball home from a goal mouth melee (1-0). 

Khalekur of Uttar Baridhara tried  a left footer from  the top of the box in the 40th minute but it missed the side post. 

In the added time of the first half Russell winger Sobuj Kumar Biswas’s  square pass  found Mithun who dodged past goalkeeper Osman Goni and placed the left footer in the far post net(2-0). 

In the 51st minute  Mithun’s  through pass set Jamaican midfielder  Ricardo Cousines at the top of the box and he scored with a low shot in the near post from the middle of the box (3-0). 

Mithun  completed his hat-trick 63rd minute  as hesnatched the ball from Kosoko, the Nigerian  midfielder and  dodged past his marker to complete his hat-trick (4-0). 

75’ Nigerian forward Akindele fired  from the top of the box  but Russell goalie Biplob was in the right position to take it in his gloves.